Six different players had a goal as the Maine Nordiques defeated the New Jersey Titans 6-3 in a North American Hockey League East Division contest at the Middletown Ice World Arena in Middletown, New Jersey on Friday night.

Stefan Owens, Caper Soderling and Tristan Fasig each had a goal and an assist for the Nordiques.

“Every line contributed a goal, our power play got one and our (penalty kill was phenomenal,” Maine Nordiques coach Nolan Howe said. “We gave up one with four seconds left (on the penalty) on our last kill. Special teams were fantastic and I thought our (defense) had a great game, too, with Ty (Outen) in net. It was a complete team effort.”

After a scoreless first period, the Nordiques (15-8-1, 31 points) erupted for four goals in the second.

The first was on the power play, as Long Island University commit Isaiah Fox put the Nordiques ahead 1-0, with Luke Antonacci and Owens notching the assists. Owens put Maine up 2-0 with Antonacci and Fasig picking up the assists with eight minutes remaining in the middle frame.

Soderling scored his third of the season as he slapped one past Titans goalie Loudon Hogg (32 saves) with just under seven minutes remaining in the stanza.

Patrick Schmiedlin finished off a perfect pass from Makem Demers to put the Nordiques up 4-0. Soderling had the secondary assist.

The resurfacing of the ice did not not stop the Nordiques offense as Fasig notched his sixth goal of the year a minute into the period. Jackson Vercellono had the assist.

New Jersey (8-9-5, 21 points) scored two quick goals to cut the deficit to 5-2, as Stephen Willey snapped Nordiques goalie Outen’s (28 saves) shutout bid nearly three minutes into the third period. Zach Nazzarett potted his fifth goal of the season just past the six-minute mark.

“(The message) was stick with it, you know you are going to face adversity throughout the game,” Howe said. “We felt like we were still in control, a couple of (unfortunate) bounces happened and they got a few on us, but that’s the North American Hockey League, it’s a great league and the Titans are a formidable adversary. I was proud in the way the guys responded, there was no panic on the bench.”

Jake LaRusso notched the third Titans goal on the power play. The Titans were 1-for-6 on the man advantage while the Nordiques were 1-for-3.

Sacred Heart commit Aidan Connolly added the Nordiques’ sixth goal late in the third period.

Former Twin City Thunder forward Levente Keresztes wasn’t in the lineup for the Titans. the Long Island University commit who was drafted by New Jersey has three goals and nine assists in 15 games since joining the team from the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, as he was also a Phantoms draft pick this spring.

The teams meet again Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Ice World Arena.

NORDIQUES ADD COLORADO COLLEGE COMMIT

On Wednesday, the organization added forward Schmiedlin, who committed to Colorado College for next season, to the roster from the Omaha Lancers of the USHL.

The 18-year-old appeared in six games with the Lancers this season, recording no points. He had spent the previous two years in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers and Madison Capitals.

“He’s a terrific young man, he comes from a great hockey family,” Howe said. “We know his father very well, (I) coached against him for years. To add a player and person of Patrick’s caliber was a no-brainer and we are thrilled to have him. He’s a terrific player but an even better person.”

He’s the second player committed to Colorado College to play in the Twin Cities this year. Defenseman Owen Paskowski has suited up for the Twin City Thunder this year and is committed for the 2022-23 season.

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